Piano-playing device.



R. H. BOARDMAN.

PIANO PLAYING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16, 1912.

1,041,004. Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

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UNITED sTA rns PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH H. IBOARDMAN, on NEW B-RI'TAIN, commences.

PiANo-PLAYIiIG' niivioii.

Specification of Letters I'atent.

Patented Oct. 15,1912".

Application filed January 16, 1912. Serial No. 671,437.

' the object of the invention being to provide a simple, light andinexpensive article of this character which can be manipulated withoue'or both hands and by which with the aid of a piano, certain novelmusical effects are obtained, the tones thus produced being similar tothose of a chime, gong or bell. By the use, therefore, of the device Ican play'upon the piano a chime tune. It is a recognized fact that achime or gong note is made up of several -sub-tones as will hereinafterappear, and I provide the device with means spaced or separated thedistances to simulate these sub-tones, and this result is preferablysecured through the intervention of at least five projections or fingers upon a suitable body or supporting member which is adapted to beheld in one or both hands and to be moved longitudinally of the keyboardduring the playing of a tune.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of the presentspecification I show in detail one of the several convenient forms ofembodiment of the invention which to en able those skilled in the art topractice the same will be set forth fully in the following description,this disclosure being primarily provided to enable those skilled in theart to practice the invention. "I may depart from said showing inseveral respects within the scope of the invention included in theclaims succeeding said description.

Referring to said drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan View of a piandplaying device involving my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross section on theline 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Like characters refer to like parts in both n mes.

The device involves in its make-up a body or s up' ort-ing member whichis adapted to be hel in one or both hands and which may be made from anysuitable material, and any desirable length provided it be of an extent-uflicient to carry the requisite number of lingers spaced at thenecessary intervals. A

body or' supporting member such as sa'tisfa'ctorily answers myconditions, is that denoted in a general way by 5, and this body isusually I made from wood, and preferably, but not necessarily, has atits ends knobs 6 and 7, one adapted to be held in eachof the hands inthe act of playing. Said body 5 has preferably at least five fingers ofprojections as 8, 9, I0, 11 and 12 and said fingers may also be madefrom any suitable material and any convenient length. In the presentinstance they consist of wood, and although they may be united to thebody 5 in any desirable w Ly,

they are shown rigidly connected ther'r'with as by one or more nailsextending throiig'h the butts of the fingers or projections and into thebody. The finger or might be considered as the first figer' of theseries, the finger 12' being the final; or fifth finger of the series,and when the rejection, 8

rocked or swung on its axis the five provided they be in the rightrelation over board will. simultaneously strike said keys,

and owing to the separation of said fingers.

finger 10 an interval of a musical fourth,

while the finger 10 is separated from the finger 11 an interval of amusical fifth, the finger 11 being separated from the finger 12 aninterval of a musical sixth which is the preferred construction butwhich disposition may not in all cases be necessary. When five notes aresimultaneously struck by said fingers, I obtain substantially the effectof a chime note and by moving the supporting body 5 longitudinally ofthe keyboard and at the same time rocking it, I can play a chime tune.It is essential in such an event that one of the fingers constitute whatmight be considered a master or a key finger, and in the constructionshown the second finger or that denoted by 9 is chosen to serve as suchan element, the tune being played with this particular finger and theremaining fingers sounding the companion notes during the playing of thetune.

To get the best possible effects I prefer to pad the fingers at theireffective portions or at the places where they strike the keys of theequivalent number of keys of the keythe piano-keyboard, and this I canobtain in many different. ways. As shown each of the fingers has on itsunder side a substantially semicircular portion 13 which can be attachedthereto at or near the tip thereof by means of glue or brads or anythingof an equivalent nature, and the curved surface of each semi-circularportion is provided with a pad or buffer it of some suitable ma terialsuch as felt, rubber or even a composition.

As will be gathered from the observations already made, 1 have describedin detail one Way of making a device involving my invention. This devicecan be made in other ways. It is clear that no great musical ability isrequired to operate the device. As a matter of fact the latter appealsparticularly to children, and those not having a profound or deepmusical education. In reality a child With a rudimentary knowledge ofmusic and capable of picking out, as children do, a tune with one fingercan operate the device as successfully as an ex perienced musician. Thedevice will be appealing to musical experts as Well.

What I claim is:

1. A piano playing device comprising a supporting body adapted to bemanually tion in the direction of the length 0 operated and to beshifted on it's manipulathe keyboard of a piano, said supporting bodybeing provided with at least five fingers in the same plane and spacedto strike a cor responding number of keys on the keyboard, 35 the firstand the second and thesecond and the third of said fingers being spacedto sound fourths, the third and the fourth fingers being spaced to soundfifths, and the fourth and fifth fingers being spaced to 40 soundsixths.

2. A piano playing device comprising a supporting body provided with atleast five fingers in the same plane and spaced to strike acorresponding number of keys on 45 thekeyboard, the first and thesecondand the second and the third of said fingers beingspaced to soundfourths, the third and the fourth fingers being spaced. to sound fifths,and the fourth and the fifth fingers being spaced to sound sixths. saidsupporting body extending outwardly beyond the first and the fifthfingers to present grasping portions to he held in the hands wherebyv,the use! can move said supporting body along the keyboard and also raiseand lower the same. I v

In testimony whereof I atlix my signa ture in presence of two Witnesses.

RALPH Pl. BOARDMAN.

/Vitnesses Y. J. STEARNS, S. H. STEARNS;

Gopie: of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, D. C.

